Management Training/Guidelines
Even if you are not a moderator, please read on. Anyone, even if you’re not part of NC, can partake in this program to hopefully be approved by NC. It was requested that some guidelines be created and set in place to help advise NC moderators on how to carry out their tasks, but instead it has been decided that some form of training will be given. Some Information: 1) If you’re looking to improve your management-related achievements, this is a good thing to do. 2) Any other threads may reference this for whatever reason. 3) Other thread owners may cooperate with this project, even requiring their official mods/upper management to undergo NC training. 4) This is split into two categories: Executive and Moderator. Moderator itself is separated into Official Moderator and Basic Moderator, which will both be explained in their sections. 5) Anyone can go through NC training, even if you don’t have a country on NC. 6) ****IF YOU ARE APPROVED AS AN EXECUTIVE/MODERATOR, YOU DON’T BECOME EITHER ON NC IF YOU WEREN’T ONE ALREADY!**** How to Apply Currently, only Scorched (AmunRa) is maintaining this system. In the future, the other Executive on NC may be instructed on how to administer the training. To apply, simply contact Scorched (AmunRa) via the forums, the Wiki chat or by posting a comment here. However, no matter how you contact me, the Wiki chat will be the center of this program – most everything will be carried out using it. Why Apply? The reasons to apply may be different for everyone. For those of you that are a current thread owner or you plan to be a thread owner in the near future (Or maybe you just want to say you’re an approved Executive), you may want to apply for the NC Executives program. This type of training is designed based on past experiences with NC management. While you can’t be prepared for the stress that comes from being the owner of an active thread, you can be prepared to better handle the various situations you may encounter. Similarly, if you are a current moderator or you plan to make it into the lower-level management of NC or another thread like it, you may want to undergo the Official Moderator program. In short, this program is geared towards making people much more informed when it comes to dealing with Executives, other players, and various situations that may occur on the thread. For those of you that are not actually in management but often help out by modding player-NPC relations or wars (This primarily applies to NC), the Basic Moderator program is your best bet. It is the easiest and shortest of the three training programs, and it will leave you ready to move up to being an approved Moderator or Executive later on if you choose to do so. Is this required? Currently, outside of NC no owner requires this. However, if you are an official Moderator of NC or an Executive, you will have to go through this training program sometime soon. The reason for this requirement is so that NC’s management base will be much more well-informed and prepared to help manage the game. In the past no training was required whatsoever, but this will hopefully help clarify many of the management-related questions that are often asked. Descriptions/Requirements -Please be aware that you do not have to take any of these if you are not in NC management. If you are a normal player and do not take even the Basic Course, you may still help mod wars/annexations/NPC requests as you do now. Executive -Honorary Executive: This addresses those players that already have a great deal of experience with management. For example, if you have been involved in NC management a while/have owned your own NC-type thread for some time, you will automatically be a recognized Executive. This is the highest-level training course that is currently available and, as such, it is slightly more difficult to make it to this level and then be approved. The reason for this is because of the fact that NC has been around a while, and many experiences with management have been built up – the Executive training will be based directly on those situations, and you will be asked to come up with detailed responses to various situations that NC has experienced. -Requirements: Completed both Moderator training -If you are already a thread owner/upper-management on a thread, you may choose to skip the Moderator courses** Official Moderator (Required for NC Mods) This path of training addresses a few major areas that will come into play as a moderator. This will include issues of addressing your power-boundaries, what to do when dealing with players, handling wars/annexations/NPC requests, when to go to upper management and handling potential voids. -Requirements: Completed Basic Moderator training Basic Moderator Required to undergo Official Moderator training, this is the most basic form of training (And the easiest to accomplish). The main focus of this course is wars/annexations/NPC requests. -Requirements: None Prestige If you have already passed any or all of the courses, you may take each one again in order to receive a (II) next to your name in each training category. This signifies that you have taken and passed a specific training course more than once. Please note that if you go for a (II) and do not pass, you DO NOT get demoted from your current approved level(s). Guidelines -These are the official NC guidelines for any sort of management- The following serve two purposes. For one, if you are a recognized as an Executive because of experience, you may look at these Guidelines to help clarify some questions (This applies mainly to NC managers – read these over to help clear up some questions). Secondly, if you are preparing for any type of training, you may want to go over these guidelines. Executive 1) As an Executive, you need to try to maintain as neutral of a stance as you can. Heavy bias towards any player/group of players may cause you and the thread problems. 2) Try to keep an open mind: You never know what suggestions will end up being very successful. 3) Seek player input. Managing the thread in the dark will lead to player-related problems. 4) Try to maintain open communication between any upper-level managers, lower-level managers and the players. An uninformed Executive will result in uninformed decisions. 5) Make sure that when dealing with a situation, 2 to 3 sources of information are required: the aggressor’s side, the defender’s side, and, if possible, information obtained through your own direct observation. 6) As an Executive, make sure the systems within your thread are maintained: If you can’t maintain them yourself, recruit the help of those players that are interested. 7) Be open to criticism. Whenever you make decisions or implement changes, people have opinions – good or bad, as long as they are reasonable, take them into account. 8) Try to remain as reasonable as you can. Extreme actions can produce extreme results, which is not always good. 9) Avoid management extremes – an excessively lenient Executive will be walked on, while an excessively strict Executive will be rebelled against. 10) Treat both players and managers with respect. Remember, you help keep the thread running smoothly and the players ensure that your thread remains alive and active. 11) If you are a part of an Executive system (Meaning you are not the only one), you hold a lot of power over the thread, but maintain communication with those above you at all times. 12) Remember to remain supportive of those you appoint to management – they are helping to support you, too. 13) Although you may have a vision for how you think the thread should be, you need to, as stated before, remain open. While not everything has to be considered, failing to consider anything could be fatal - players often come up with ideas you may have never thought about. 14) Share the power - share the responsibility. If you are currently the primary Executive and are either A) Falling behind on the thread or B) You are becoming overwhelmed (Both may apply), you may need to appoint new people to either lower-management or upper-management. Otherwise, you and the thread will suffer. 15) An inactive Executive/moderator is like a dead butler - appoint people to replace those that have ceased to be active. Official Moderators 1) The power to void should not be abused. If possible, try to talk with the offending player to get them to adjust. 2) If you find that another moderator is abusing their power/the rules, bring it up with them – you are of equal power. If this does not work, consult upper-level management if they have not already taken care of it. 3) When modding a player v. NPC war, try to adjust your modding based on the player – if they are known to be better with tactics, you may make it more challenging for them. If said player is known to be weaker in that area, tone it down so it’s not so difficult for them. 4) When modding a player v. NPC war, remember that although they get near-equal technology of the most powerful player attacking them, they do not get an economy near-equal to that player (It’s not logical, especially if they’re a small NPC). Don’t have the NPC be too unreasonable. 5) When dealing with annexation/protectorate-status requests, take into account the power of the player and the influence the player has on their nation. If they don’t have very good/extensive relations (Or very good reason to annex/become a protectorate), obviously they won’t annex. 6) You do not have to accept every NPC-related request (FTA, RTA, etc.), especially if the player posts many requests at a time. 7) On the thread, on the chat and on the wiki, remain both reasonable and respectful. You help represent management, and failure to represent properly may result in a demotion. 8) Be patient and respectful with the Executives – they run the thread. Simple as that. 9) When dealing with technology and whether or not it is OP, be sure to consider the capabilities the player nation has as well as the time period if NC is in. 10) You help represent the Executives (When they’re not online) and management. Your decisions should be reasonable, as should your actions. 11) If ever there is a crisis (Major fight, huge player v. player war, other game-disrupting event) and no Executive is online, it is important that you don’t sit back and watch. Even if you are unqualified to handle the situation, do your best and then wait for an Executive to render the final decision. 12) Make sure that you help to maintain the rules. However, this does not necessarily mean interpret – this can easily lead to a warped view of how the Executives want the rules to be understood if the mods are deciding what they think a rule should mean/apply to, causing more problems. Ultimately, leave the actual interpretation of the rules to the Executives. 13) You may overrule a decision made by a player when it comes to modding, but fellow mods cannot be overruled by other mods. Only upper-management can do this (I consider things like a General Mod to be upper-management). 14) If you ever issue a ban, be it in the wiki chat or the actual thread, it must be reviewed and approved by an Executive for it to be maintained. 15) Resort to banning/kicking only when there is no other option. Basic Moderators 1) When modding a player v. NPC war, try to adjust your modding based on the player – if they are known to be better with tactics, you may make it more challenging for them. If said player is known to be weaker in that area, tone it down so it’s not so difficult for them. 2) When modding a player v. NPC war, remember that although they get near-equal technology of the most powerful player attacking them, they do not get an economy near-equal to that player (It’s not logical, especially if they’re a small NPC). Don’t have the NPC be too unreasonable. 3) When dealing with annexation/protectorate-status requests, take into account the power of the player and the influence the player has on their nation. If they don’t have very good/extensive relations (Or very good reason to annex/become a protectorate), obviously they won’t annex. 4) You do not have to accept every NPC-related request (FTA, RTA, etc.), especially if the player posts many requests at a time. Approved Persons When you complete any of the three training courses successfully, you will be listed here. This is the same even if you are a regular player attempting the Executive training course – you may not be an Executive on any thread, but you will still be listed if you succeed. Executives AmunRa Sirjoseph9 Sithlord Man E Chip Rpvictor Moderators -- Basic Moderators Legless562 Pen Par Bowswer5 Category:Nation Creation Category:Moderation